Green bonds for hydropower

Bringing standards to the green bond market and what this means for hydropower

Thursday 16 May 2019 | 11:15-12:30 | room: Eiffel 3

Green bonds are examples of the emerging instruments for green finance and investment in the energy sector that can be used for hydropower. They are fixed income loans created to finance and refinance projects and assets that help address environmental and/or climate risks and shift investment to a low carbon, sustainable economy. In 2018, over USD 167 billion of labelled green bonds were issued, with expectations of it reaching USD 250 billion this year.

Following over two years of discussions with industry, academia, governments and international NGOs, the Climate Bonds Initiative, an investor-focused not-for-profit is due to launch a consultation later this year on proposed green bond criteria for hydropower.

This criteria is seen as key to fully unlocking the market to the hydropower sector, as to-date there has been a lack of clarity over appropriate standards.

Session objectives:

What role will the green bond market have in the future of hydropower financing?

This session will focus on the development of eligibility criteria while also assessing what role the green bond market will have in the future of hydropower financing.

Furthermore, with the market acting as a bridge towards many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), panellists will explore how the criteria helps better align the hydropower sector with SDG 6, 7 and 13 and the Paris Agreement.

Finally with an eye on the future, panellists will discuss how the criteria may evolve over time to take into account improved methodologies and the latest in climate science.